THE CLASS OF 2017 will arrive on campus this fall equipped with the basics for dormitory life: shower caddy, laundry bag, crisp twin XL sheets. But to make living in a cramped, shared space more fun, a few gadgets can help.

Tech accessories aimed at the college set are usually a garish lot (think: polka-dot laptop cushions and color-changing iPod speaker docks). They also tend to be cheaply made, almost disposable, as if their...